SNORING: CAUSES AND NATURAL SOLUTIONS

Snoring is caused by the vibration of the soft tissues behind the tongue and palate when breathing air.

During sleep, the muscles relax, the jaw and the tongue move towards the back of the throat, which decreases, or even obstructs the passage of air, causing the tissues to vibrate during the passage of inspired or exhaled air.

Causes of snoring

• Overweight, the tissues of the back of the throat are thickened
• Sleeping on the back, which makes the tongue fall into the back of the throat
• Too rich meals in the evening + alcohol and tobacco
• Taking sleeping pills that relax the muscles
• Malformation (deviated septum) or nasal polyps
• Absence of teeth in the molars
• Loss of tooth height due to wear
• Bad positioning of the tongue (persistent low tongue primary swallowing in adulthood)
• Jaw positioned too far back
• Chronic sinusitis with the nose clogged in a lying position
• Macroglossia, tongue too big

Natural anti-snoring tips

• Lose weight
• Sleep on your right side (opposite of heart) with your mouth facing downwards
• Eat a light dinner before 7 p.m.
• No alcohol, tobacco, red meat or cheese with the evening meal
• See an ENT specialist to treat polyps and sinusitis
• Work with a speech therapist to reeducate and strengthen your tongue
• Have your missing teeth replaced to prevent the tongue from spreading to the back of the mouth
• Sleep with a mouthpiece that positions the lower jaw forward
• If possible and necessary, plan dental care to increase the height of your molars and premolars in order to stabilize the position of the jaw.
• Osteopathy and chiropracty is very effective in accompanying all this postural and muscular re-education of the mandible.

Treating snoring: 4 paths to explore

>>> Food hygiene

>>> Re-education of the tongue

>>> Repositioning of the jaws and teeth

>>> Osteopathic harmonization

Gives excellent results in reducing snoring but also in sleep apnea which handicaps 3% of snorers.

Symbolism of snoring

The snorer wants to say at night all that he could not say during the day. The snorer clings to old patterns and situations that are not beneficial to him. If the snoring occurs on the inhale, it is a cry for help. If the snoring occurs on the exhale, it is a need to get away from danger.

Some “magic” remedies against snoring

• Put a Pyrite stone (rolled stone) under the pillow. It should not be in contact with the skin.
• Bach flowers: AGRIMONY, WALNUT, ASPEN, HONEYSUCKLE. Put 4 drops of each in 30ml of spring water, in a smoked glass dropper bottle.  Take 2 drops morning and evening. Keep 1 minute under the tongue before swallowing.
• Essential oils: in the evening at bedtime, clean the nose and back of the throat with sea water spray. Then put 1 drop of lemon essential oil mixed with 1 drop of sweet almond oil in each nostril.
• Homeopathy: NUX VOMICA 9CH 3 granules in the evening at bedtime.

Remember to use earplugs because even a snorer can prevent himself from sleeping!

Humidify the air in your room.

If you wake up tired with headaches, if you wake up often at night to urinate or with night sweats, be careful, you may have sleep apnea which weakens your heart. Consult your doctor.

Before the age of 50, 60% of snorers are men, but then, with the menopause, women catch up, so don’t be jealous!

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To find out more remedies for snoring, please visit our ‘Find a Cure’ page